The Dead Sea and Me

Kelly Massicot

I have always wanted to see the world; climb mountains, jump out of planes, ride a camel – you name it. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 19, those plans seemed to fly out the window. Since then it has been a journey of finding anything that would make the pain of just getting out of car a little easier.

Recently I stumbled upon an article about the Dead Sea. Of course I had heard of it before, but I never knew people with aches, pains or more debilitating illnesses flocked to the banks along Jordan for the lake’s healing effects.

Dead Sea salt is beneficial because of its high levels of natural minerals. According to Dr. Amy McNulty, a consultant for national sea salt company Salt Works, Dead Sea salt contains magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and bromides. Magnesium combats stress, fluid retention and aging skin, and calms the nervous system. Calcium prevents water retention, increases circulation and strengthens bones and nails. Potassium creates energy and balances skin moisture. Bromides ease stiffness and relax muscles. Sodium helps with lymphatic fluid balance. A bath with Dead Sea salt can help with health issues such as psoriasis, arthritis, eczema, stress, muscle aches and pains and even insomnia.

The Dead Sea is far away, so I looked for ways to bring it to me. There are stores around the city that sell natural Dead Sea salt, like Dr. G’s Sea Salts, but I found an all natural bath salt on Amazon and quickly fell in love. If the pure joy of just getting 30 minutes all to myself wasn’t enough, it became quickly evident that some of my pain was subsiding. Call it a placebo effect, but I’ll take a small glimmer of relief over pain any day. I also made sure to weigh myself before and after each bath and consistently lost two pounds of fluid from each.

If you want to let someone else do all the work, NOLA Float Tanks is a great way to get the feeling of floating in the Dead Sea. Visit NolaFloatTanks.com to make your appointment.
Final note, whether you create your own concoction or have someone else do the work for you, remember to hydrate and drink plenty of water before and after your Dead Sea salt bath.